Apparatus for cooking, desiccating, or seasoning purposes.



No. 692,5I6. Patented Feb. 4, i902.

H. HIGGINS. APPARATUS FOR CO0K|NG."DE'SICCATING,0R SEASONING PURPOSES.

(Application med our. s, 1900.)

(No Model.) l l 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Feb. 4, |902. H. HIGGINS.

APPARATUS FOR COOKING. DESIOCATINO, OR SEASONING PURPOSES.

(No Model.)

(Application med ocu. s, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nn. 692,55` Patented Feb. 4,l |902.

II. HIGGINS. Y APPARATUS FOR COOKING, DESICCATING, 0B SEASONING PURPOSES.

(Application filed Oct. 8, 1900.]

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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ma' uonms Faras co.. Fuero-Limo., WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATESY PATENT GFF-ICE.

HUBERT HIGGINS, OF CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR COOKING,IDES|CCATING, 0R SEASONING PURPOSES.

SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No,Y 692,516, dated February 4,1902. Application filed October 8,1900. Serial No. 32,393. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may oon/cern,.-

Be it known that I, HUBERT HIGGINS, a subject of the Queen of England, residing at Oambridge, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Apparatus for Cooking, Desiccating, or Seasoning Purposes, (for which I have made application in Great Britain, Nos. 4,688 and 4,689,

dated March 12, 1900,) of which the following is a specification. A

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the treatment of inorganicmaterials with steam and with a mixture of steam and combustion-gases, said apparatus being intended more particularly for either the cooking of foodstuifs or for the desiccating and seasoning of wood. Y Y

In carrying out the invention I provide a partially-jacketed chamber, beneath which is placed the source of heat. The iioor of the chamber is made of metal, so as to form a good conductor of heat, and in .the bottom of the chamber is placed a shallow pan, or the iioor of the chamber itself may. constitute the pan. This pan is kept supplied with water at a constant level by any convenient means,

preferably by connecting it with an external tank, which is kept supplied with water at a fixed level corresponding with the level de,-A sired within the pan. The pan thus acts as a boiler, the water therein evaporating and filling the chamber with steam, an escape for which is provided, preferably, in the lower portion of the chamber. The escaping steam is led by a pipe,'so as to mix with the combustion-gases of the source of heat. An extra controllable outlet may be provided, so that part of the steam can be diverted into the jacket or direct into the flue. Adjoining and preferably toone side of the above chamber, which I call the steamer,- is a second chamber, which I call the oven, having an opening or openings in the bottom, through which the mixture of .steam from the steamer and combustion-gases from the source of heat pass into the oven. Arrangements are provided to diffuse the heat equally throughout the oven. A convenient construction is to provide the oven with a floor, across the un preferably low down. Both chambers are' partially or completely jacketed,and the heating-gases escaping from the oven are caused to circulate through the jacket before escaping into the atmosphere. Baffle-plates and `the' like may be arranged in the jacket to di-V Instead of the rect the flow of the gases. gases entering the oven at one side, this chamber may be provided with ar perforated floor,

so that the gases enter equally over the wholev l It is evident that more than one oven may be combined with one steamer, in which case the heating-gases may be either led direct to each oven or may be caused to pass from one oven to the second before escaping into the jacket.

Doors, spy-holes, trays, and any necessary fittings areprovided for both the steamer and ovens, and devices may be arranged to control the quantity and temperature both of the steam and ofthe combustion-gases when apart or mixed. 1

Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a Vertical transverse section of a convenient form of cooker constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of an apparatus, on a larger scale, adapted for treating wood in bulk for drying or seasoning purposes or for carrying out the first steps in an impregnating process. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the circulation in the casing. Fig. 5 is a vertical section. tion of the oven, showinga modified construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the Fig. 6 is a vertical secsteaming-chamber, the floor of which forms a' IOO materials to be steamed. Beneath the steamer A is a gas-burner D, of any suitable construction, surrounded by a casing D', the upper part of which communicates by an opening D2 with a flue E, which forms the fioor of a second chamber or oven C. An opening C', extending, preferably, along the whole length of one side of the upper Wall of this fioor, forms a communication between the fine and the oven C. A pipe A5 leads from the lower portion of the chamber A into the flue E adjacent to the opening D2. The chambers A and C are placed in a casing F, which forms a jacket for the sides and tops of the chambers. An opening C2 forms a communication between the oven C and this jacket, and baffleplates F/ are so placed as to direct the flow of the gases around all the sides of the two chambers before they reach the jacket outlet-pipe F4. This pipe is provided with two branches controlled by dampers FSF?, respectively, the

one leading into the jacket F5 of a dryingchamber G and the other opening1 into a space beneath a plate I-I, which forms a hot plate. Fines G and I-I from the jacket F5 and hot plate II, respectively, serve for the final escape of the heating-gases. The oven C and drying or heating closet G are provided with doors and any usual fittings. A pipe A6, leading from the chamber A, may be provided, communicating by valve-controlled pipes A7 AB with the jacket F and exhaust-flue I-I, respectively.

The action of the apparatus is as follows: The gas-burner D, vaporizing the water in the pan A, fills the chamber A with a constant supply of steam, which acts on the materials-such as potatoes, puddings, tbc.- placed within that chamber and escapes by the pipe A5 into the flue E, where it mixes with the products of combustion from the burner entering by the opening D2, which are thereby reduced to a temperature'snitable for roasting-say from 450 Fahrenheit to 500o Fahrenheit. The mixture of steam and gases passes into the oven C by the opening C', circulates within said chamber, and passes on by the opening C2 into the jacket F, finally escaping through either one or both of the fines Gr H', according to the position of the dampers F2 F3.

The pipes A A7 and AG A8 may be used to set up and accelerate the draft at starting or to lessen the amount of steam mixed with the combustion-gases.

Referring now to Fig. 3 the arrangement of the steaming-chamber A and the dryingchamber C is similar to that already described, but the gas-burner is replaced by a furnace J. A damper J may be provided to control the amount of combustion-gases passing into the fine E, so as to regulate the temperature of the drying-chamber C. A second dryingchamber K may also be provided and adjustable dampers E E2 arranged, so that the heating-gases may be passed into either of the chambers C and K at will. The chamber K may also be connected with the chamber C by an opening K', controlled bya damper K2, so as to pass the gases from the chamber C into the chamber K instead of directly from the fiueE. Dampers K"3 may be placed in the jacket F to control the passage of the gases through the jacket. Each chamber is provided with doors and necessary fittings and preferably is furnished with rails, so that the wood may be run in on trucks. The effect of the steaming in the chamber A is to coagulate the coagulable products in the wood and that in chambers C and K to desiccate the wood.

As illustrated in Fig. G, the oven C is provided with a perforated fioor, and escapeholes M for the gases are arranged all around the top of the sides of the chamber, suitable baffie-platcs L directing the course of said gases downward and then upward before escaping into the atmosphere.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a heating apparatus and in combination a source of heat; a chamber placed above said source of heat; a shallow receptacle for water on the fioor of said chamber; a second chamber; a jacket partly surrounding both chambers; an exhaust-opening in the jacket; a casing surrounding the source of heat so as to collect the combustion-gases; a fine underneath said second chamber communicating both with the casing and the second chamber; a conduit leading from the first chamber and opening into the said fine so as to carry the steam formed in said chamber into the fine and mix it with the combustion-gases coming from the casing; a communication between said second chamber and the jacket and means for circulat-ing the gases passing from said chamber in the jacket before escaping by the exhaust-opening substantially as specified.

2. In a heating apparatus and in combination asource of heat; a chamber placed above said source of heat; a shallow receptacle for water on the floor of said chamber; means for maintaining a constant level of water in said receptacle; a second chamber; ajacket partly surrounding both chambers an exhaust-opening in the jacket; a casing surrounding the source of heat so as to collect the combustion-4 gases; a fine underneath said second cham.- ber communicating both with the casing and the second chamber; a conduit leading from the first chamber and opening into said flue so as to carry the steam formed in the said chamber into the flue and mix it with the combustion-gases coming from the casing; a communication between said second chamber and the jacket and means for circulating the gases passing from said chamber in the jacket before escaping by the exhaust-opening substantially as specified.

3. In a heating apparatus and in combination a source of heat; a chamber placed above said source of heat; a shallow receptacle for IOO Ifo

water in the iioor of said chamber; a second chamber; a jacket partly surrounding both chambers; an exhaust-opening in the jacket; a casing surrounding the source of heat so as to collect the combustion-gases; a ilue underneath said second chamber communicating both with the casingand the second chamber; 'means to control the communication between the casing and the Hue; a conduit leading from the rst chamber and opening into'said lue so as to carry the steam formed'in said chamber into the-flue and mixit with the y.combustion-gases coming from the casing; a

' stantial'ly as specified;

communication between said second chamber and the jacket and means for circulating the gases passing from said chamber in the jacket before escaping by the exhaust-opening sub- 4. In a heating apparatus and in combination a'source of heat; a steaming-'chamber placed above saidsource of- -heat; a shallowy receptacle for water on the floor of said chamber; two drying-chambers; a jacket partly surrounding all the chambers; a casing surrounding the source of Vheat so as to collect trolling the circulationof theheating-'gases 4o in the jacket substantiallly as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed" my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:V

HAROLD WADE, HARRY B. BRIDGE" HUBERT HIGGrINs.,` l 

